


Ten Years Gone

by Writer_Geekgirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Canon Compliant, Castiel/Dean Winchester Anniversary, First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Season/Series 13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-13 20:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16025288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Geekgirl/pseuds/Writer_Geekgirl
Summary: Dean and Castiel celebrate their 10-year anniversary the only way that they can.





	Ten Years Gone

Dean sat quietly on a pier, sitting in a chair, fishing. The sun rippled off the lake, as Dean watched the trees on the opposite shore. It was peaceful and quiet, a moment of perfect tranquility. Dean heard the rustle of wings and looked over his shoulder to see Castiel standing there quietly. 

Castiel said in his low, gravelly voice, "Hello, Dean."

Dean smiled widely at him. "Cas, it's good to see you, man. I missed you."

Castiel reached over and squeezed Dean's shoulder as he whispered, "And I, you."

"What's the word, Cas?"

A corner of Castiel's mouth quirked up in a small smile, "It's still my name. How are you, Dean?"

"I think I'm fine, man. I'm just taking some time to myself. It's been a hard few years, you know? I deserve a break."

"That you do, my friend. That and so much more." Castiel squatted next to Dean's chair. "Dean, you deserve everything. You have everything I have to give to you. For now, and forever."

Dean looked away awkwardly for a moment before whispering, "I know."

"Walk with me?" Castiel asked as he extended a hand.

Dean stood up from the chair and put his fishing pole down. Dean hesitated before taking Castiel's hand, intertwining their fingers together. Castiel led him up from the pier to where the Impala sat on the road. Castiel opened a rear door of the Impala and pulled out two beers from the cooler. He opened them and handed one to Dean. He walked to the front of the car and sat on the hood. Dean followed him and sat beside him. They sipped their beers quietly in a comfortable silence.

"Do you know what day it is, Dean?" Castiel finally asked.

"I've lost track. Things have been kind of fuzzy for me lately. Maybe, I just had one too many bangs on the head. Chuck knows I've been busted up enough."

"It's September 18, 2018. Ten years ago, today, we met."

"Ah, the tenth anniversary of the day that you gripped me tight and raised me from perdition. You were damn scary in that barn, man. I was sure I was toast."

Castiel reached over and put his hand over Dean's, "You deserved to be saved. You continue to deserve to be saved."

"I don't know, man. I've done some messed up shit." Dean looked at the sun starting to set over the lake.

"I've consistently messed up more shit than either you or Sam, Dean. Most things are my fault."

Dean protested, "That's not true. We never would have gotten Lucifer into the cage if you hadn't molotoved Michael." Dean flinched as he said the word, Michael.

"And who let him out of the cage?"

"It was a joint effort. Rowena screwed up the spell a little. Sam had the bright idea of talking to him. You just took the shot that was offered in case Lucifer could help with Amara. You did what you thought had to be done."

Castiel smiled at him sadly. "We have spent a decade of our lives hunting down Lucifer, saving the world, stopping apocalypses. I broke Heaven."

"We broke each other," Dean said, looking away.

"But we always return to each other," Castiel countered.

Dean turned to face Castiel, their eyes meeting. They stared at each other in what seemed to be an eternity, but still wasn't long enough.

Castiel whispered, "Someday, I'll help you come back to me again, Dean. The thing that is keeping us apart will fail. Nothing can keep us apart -- not Heaven, not Hell, not Naomi, not Amara, not Purgatory, not Death, not the Empty. There are two absolutes in this universe, Dean. One, Bert and Ernie are gay. And two, I will always find a way to come to you."

Dean laughed softly. "I don't even know why I said that that night. I think I wanted something that I didn't know how to ask for."

"If you had asked, the answer would have been yes. It always would have been yes." Castiel smiled at him before saying, "Let me have the keys."

After Dean handed them to him, Castiel pulled a cassette tape out of his pocket. He showed it to Dean as he tapped the label that said _Dean's Top 13 Zepp TRA XX_. Dean laughed, "I thought you lost that."

Castiel smiled, "It was a gift. You keep those." He opened the door of the Impala, slid into the driver's seat, and started the car. He inserted the tape into the player and the speakers started to blast out the Led Zeppelin song, _Ten Years Gone._ They both sang along quietly as the song played. When it was finished, Castiel turned off the car. He looked at Dean and said, "That's my favorite song on the tape. Some of the lyrics in this song spoke out to me. 'We are eagles of one nest, the nest is your soul.' and 'I'm never gonna leave you. I'm never gonna leave.' I promise you, Dean. I will never give up. I will never leave you. I will find you."

Dean pulled Castiel out of the car and held him close. He hesitated before cupping Castiel's face in his hands. He looked at him questioningly for permission. Castiel bit his bottom lip for a second nervously before nodding. Dean closed the distance between their faces, kissing Castiel gently. Castiel returned the kiss, as Dean fisted the lapels on Castiel's coat and pulled him closer.

When they finished, Dean asked, "This is a dream, isn't it?"

Castiel looked at him sadly. "It is a dream, but I'm really here with you."

Dean said dryly, "Had to be a dream. I was never brave enough to do this in the bunker when you were standing right next to me. Figures I'd wait until I'm dreaming."

"I never was never brave enough either. We've wasted ten years, Dean." Castiel carded his fingers through Dean's hair as he whispered. "I love you. I'm sorry that through all the chaos, the multiple apocalypses, the happy days, the tragedies, I never said it." Dean looked torn, as he struggled to say words that he never expressed out loud. Castiel said, putting a finger across Dean's lips, "You don't have to say anything, Dean. It's ok."

"Not sure I'll ever get another chance, Cas. I love you. You know that. You and Sammy are the two most important things to me. He's my brother and you're my…" Dean's voice trailed off as he didn't know what word to use.

Castiel smiled, "I don't know what to call it in English, only Enochian."

"So, I'm still Michael's condom?"

Castiel looked away with his shoulders slumping.

Dean continued, "But Sam's safe? Jack's safe?"

Castiel squinted up at the stars before responding, "As best as they can be without you there."

"Mom? Bobby?"

"They all are doing the best they can. They miss you." Castiel met Dean's eyes again. "I miss you."

"I've tried to eject him, Cas. I have."

Castiel responded reassuringly, "Archangels are difficult. You know how difficult it was for Sam. All he had to do was regain control for a few minutes. I'm an angel, and I couldn't control Lucifer for long. I know you've tried. Are trying."

"You got to put me in the cage, Cas. You know you have to."

"Shut up, Dean," Castiel looked at him imploringly. "Let's just pretend for a moment, that it's me, you, here under the stars with no worries. I'm sure Michael won't let me in through your dreams again. He'll block this hole. So, please, just give me this. Tomorrow, I'll go back to figuring out how to take care of Michael. For just a few minutes, let it be about us."

Dean pulled Castiel back onto the hood of the car with him, leaning back against the window with an arm wrapped around Castiel. He kissed Castiel's cheek softly. Dean said, "Remember the night we watched _Tombstone_?"

Castiel said, "I’m your huckleberry," with a twang.

"Dodge City was fun."

"You made me wear a ridiculous hat."

Dean laughed, "That hat suited you."

"So, I'm ridiculous?"

"You can be sometimes. You interrogated the cat."

Castiel snorted, "I almost had that cat cracked until you intervened."

"And then there's the time we went to interview a deputy and you wanted to tell him the truth."

Castiel laughed, "And you taught me to lie because that's how you become president. It worked against us later. Never should have taught me how to lie."

"And you watched porn about the pizza man and the babysitter and popped a boner." Dean laughed. 

"Taking a human vessel was confusing at first," Castiel protested.

"That was three years in, man. You had no excuses, except your 'people skills' were rusty." Dean made air quotes with his free hand.

"I kissed Meg."

"Hey, now that's not a good memory. I was friggin' jealous as hell."

Castiel looked startled. "You were?"

Dean turned Castiel's face to him and kissed him passionately. He pulled back after a moment. "It took everything I had not to stab her with the demon knife."

"You loved me for that long?"

"I think I fell in love with you in the barn the moment you said I deserved to be saved."

Castiel shook his head, "You had a funny way of showing it. All those women."

"You slept with April."

"Who promptly killed me. But at least I didn't die a virgin," Castiel smirked.

Dean looked distressed, "Now, that is not even funny."

"I had protection, and it was a little funny," Castiel said dryly.

"Arggggh… That's just not right."

Castiel kissed him again. "Well, you slept with my sister."

"Anna was just a last night on earth kind of thing," Dean protested.

"You tried to sleep with Jo the night before we took on Lucifer."

Dean said, "You saw how she shot me down."

Castiel looked at him with his blue eyes sparkling slightly, "You tried to set me up with a waitress because she smelled like food."

"Hey, I loved you and I wanted to make you happy. I sacrificed my own happiness to try to be a good wingman for you. It won't happen again." Dean pulled Castiel close and kissed him. He bit Castiel's bottom lip gently. Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's waist. Their kisses grew more fervent as their bodies pressed together.

Dean pulled back. "We got to stop, man."

Castiel grew stiff in his arms. "I'm sorry. Did I misread…"

"No, I want this more than anything, but Michael could be watching and I want the first time I'm with you not to be in a dream. I want it to be real."

Castiel kissed him again. "Gives me more incentive to rescue you quickly."

"So much wasted time. We're a couple of dumb asses."

"I prefer smart asses. Less dumb, more smart."

Dean laughed, "You have become one snarky son of a bitch."

Castiel smiled, "I learned from the best."

"Told you I wasn't a good role model."

"And I told you that wasn't true. And I still haven't really figured out if ketchup should count as a vegetable. I should probably get that information, so I ensure Jack gets proper nutrition."

The mirth between the two of them faded as they both thought of those that were left behind. Castiel finally said, "I wish I could have somehow brought Sam into the dream with me to see you. He's so worried."

"I know he is. At least you can tell him, I'm still in here and kicking. And I'll keep kicking until I get this son of a bitch out of me." Dean frowned at the sun started to rise and the stars began to fade. "I think the dream is about over, Cas. Michael is getting restless out there."

"I think he's realized I'm here," Castiel looked at him sadly. "It's getting harder to stay."

Dean cupped Castiel's face into his hands one more time. He kissed him gently. "Happy anniversary, Sunshine."

Castiel promised, "I'll be back. I'm never gonna leave you. We're eagles of one nest, the nest is your soul."

Dean started to say, "I love…" as Castiel faded away. His jaw clenched as Michael woke him up.

**Author's Note:**

> The story refers to lyrics from the Led Zeppelin track, "Ten Years Gone." - [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBzuYNK95sM)


End file.
